"The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box" Movie Review

Watch the official trailer for the new family adventure fantasy film, The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box, directed by Jonathan Newman and starring Aneurin Barnard, Sam Neill, Michael Sheen, Lena Headey.

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The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box

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Embracing the need to take whatever risks and means necessary to achieve your goals, no matter what obstacles are in your way, is the perfect lesson from the new family adventure fantasy film, ‘The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box.’ The movie, which is now available in New York on iTunes, and is based on the novel ‘Mariah Mundi’ by G.P. Taylor, features a daring young protagonist who would willingly fight anyone who gets in the way of harming not only his family, but also the world. The Jonathan Newman–directed film also features memorable performances by its diverse set of actors who would also push themselves to the limit to garner the emotions needed to convincingly showcase the resoluteness of their characters.

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‘The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box’ follows 17-year-old Mariah Mundi (Aneurin Barnard) as his world is instantly turned upside down. His parents-Catherine (Keeley Hawes) and Charles (Ioan Gruffudd)-vanish after his mother gives him and his young brother, Felix (Xavier Atkins), two matching pieces of a mysterious pendant. The two boys begin searching for their parents, with the help of one of Catherine and Charles’ colleagues, Captain Charity (Michael Sheen). The captain works for the Bureau of Antiquities, a secret part of the government that deals with the supernatural. In the process, Felix is kidnapped from the streets of Victorian London.

Despite never meeting Charity before, Mariah accepts his help from the strange adventurer in order to find and reunite his family. The two are led to the Prince Regent, a majestic hotel filled with sinister villains, such as the manager, Monica (Lena Headey), and owner, Otto Luger (Sam Neill), who’s determined to find the extraordinary tMidas Box that turns everything to gold. Mariah, with the help of the illusive Charity and the shy but daring Sacha (Mella Carron), must uncover the secrets of the hotel, save his brother and unravel the truth behind his parents’ disappearance, all while trying to stop Otto’s advances.

The family adventure fantasy film will surely captivate the attention of all children, even those who are unfamiliar with Taylor’s novel series, in part due to the stunning visuals. Production designer James Lewis created unique, elaborate sets that helped create the fantastical world Mariah becomes engaged in as he determinedly searches for his brother and their parents. From the secret passageways that link Otto’s hidden office, which are filled with eccentric glasses and other tools that are meant to find the Midas box, to the gritty underground trenches where the hotel owner believes the box is buried, the diverse locations help emphasize how determined he is to find the fabled artifact.

While Barnard smartly and genuinely infuses Mariah with a determination to stop the malicious hotel owner, who only cares about finding the box so he can take power and control over the world, Sheen is also a stand-out star of ‘The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box.’ While only appearing in a supporting role, the former Emmy Award-nominated actor added an eccentricity to the Bureau of Antiquities officer, who willing embraced any adversary and challenge necessary to rescue his friends and their younger son. Whether disguised as a magician who’s working at the Prince Regent, in order to gain access to Otto’s motives and advancements in finding the Midas Box, or directly battling the hotel owner to rescue the Mundis, the actor brought a witty determination and willingness to fight to Mariah’s ally.

‘The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box’ is a visually thrilling adventure fantasy film that enthrallingly draws viewers into the powerful story of a young man determined to fight back against those trying to not only defeat his family, but also conquer the world. The stunning sets, created by talented production designer Lewis, formed a quirky, unconventional world where a brazen and heroic teen could courageously fight a powerful man determined to find a way to rule the world. Combined with Sheen’s original, memorable portrayal of a flamboyant government agent who willingly embraces the need to do whatever it takes to overtake a dangerous man and threat to society, the movie holds the perfect appeal for families looking to stretch their imaginations.

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Having published dozens of movie reviews for Shockya.com since 2007 and We Got This Covered since 2011, Karen is constantly able to share her love of films with other fans. She continuously uses the knowledge she obtained from her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Journalism, Print and Electronic, from the LIU-Post Campus, which she received in 2008. Besides attending numerous movie screenings in New York City and subsequently reviewing the films, Karen has also written her opinions about many DVDs. You may e-mail Karen at: kbenardello@aol.com.

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